Stars Above (closed)

Rowankit awoke suddenly. The small, fluffy brown tabby yawned, looking around the dark nursery. With the light of the moon overhead he could make out the sleeping forms of his mom and the other queens and their kits, all sleeping peacefully. He'd taken a late nap in the afternoon which now rendered him awake in the middle of the night. He rose to his paws and silently tiptoed away. Rowankit poked his head out of the den and into the moonlit clearing. It was quiet. Peaceful. Everyone in camp sleeping in their dens.

Silently he slipped fully into cam but didn't venture far from the nursery. He shivered in the cool night, fluffing his fur out to better keep himself warm as he settled down, staring up at the glittering stars. He liked the stars. They were pretty. And the stories about them were amazing. Each star was a Starclan warrior who watched over the clans, protecting them from danger. He wasn't quite sure if he fully believed it but he loved the stories nonetheless. He would love to think that their ancestors watched over them and guided them even after death. And if Lightningstar really did have nine lives, well, then surely it must all be true! Rowankit purred quietly to himself as he continued gazing up at the stars.

Blazepaw couldn't get to sleep so he padded out of the apprentice den in search for something to do and noticed a kit looking at the stars. He quietly padded towards the kit and sat down to watch the stars with him. Blazepaw never really understood how starclan could protect everyone when they want to but when it was really bad, not a single word from starclan.

The sound of padding paws caught Rowankit's attention, he dragged his attention down from the stars to look over at the mostly white apprentice who approached and sat beside him. Rowankit watched him unblinking for a long moment. He honestly hadn't been paying too close attention to his clanmates despite his mother's prodding. He'd certainly seen the other tom before in camp but not enough to really know anything about the other cat. Turning back to the stars, he twitched his whiskers in acknowledgement before simply murmuring, "The stars are bright even with the moon."

Blazepaw scoffed in agreement watching the stars. He couldn't believe that they were their ancestors. There were so many of them! Blazepaw looked down at the small brown kit and did something stupid. He pawed at him before pointing his paw at a certain star. The brightest one, it was said to be the first ever cat to join starclan so was the brightest and oldest. He learned it from the elders when he was listening to them tell stories to the others. He hoped the kit knew about the star cause he wasn't sure he would be able to talk about it.

The pawing at his shoulder startled Rowankit briefly, he looked over to the tom who was pointing up at the brightest star. He purred softly as to not break the peaceful night, "That's one of my favorites, bright and constant to guide the way. Always watching over us. That's what Dad always says." The stars twinkled brightly overhead. It was comforting. Being watched over. He always felt safer with Mom so really it was like having countless mothers. Keeping them safe and showing them the way. Yes, that really did make him feel more secure when he'd eventually become an apprentice and have to leave the safety of the nursery and his mom.

Rowankit appreciated the quiet apprentice beside him, most of the other kits were loud and boisterous it was nice to have another cat who would just sit in silence with him. Not that many of the apprentices were any better. It seemed like most cats enjoyed being loud.

Blazepaw smiled at the kit happy to know they had something in common. Maybe just maybe, he could talk to him one day. Blazepaw laid down on his belly as he was sitting on his bobtail and it was starting to hurt. His Amber eyes looked up at the stars thinking, that maybe, he would be able to get advice from them also. He hated not knowing who he could and couldn't trust and he knew the clan was getting annoyed at it also.

Rowankit's ears twitched as the other tom settled on the ground. Lying down would be more comfortable but... Sitting was as close to the stars as he could get currently. Mom had reprimanded him last time he'd attempted to climb up higher and tumbled down through the top of the nursery. The stars were just so far away... "If you climbed to the very tops of the trees could reach them? Is that how they get to Starclan?" It was murmured more to himself than as a genuine question.

Rowankit gazed up at the stars, "When you go to Starclan where would you want to be? To watch over everyone?" He'd asked Mom once and she'd scolded him for asking such morbid questions. He certainly didn't understand what was wrong with it. Everyone would walk with Starclan eventually, it was silly to pretend they wouldn't, so why not think about it before you joined their ranks?

Blazepaw had never thought about it before. Did he want to watch over the ones he loved, trusted, or his clan. He would probably do loved ones as they wouldn't betray him like everyone else. "Watch over my loved ones" he mewed quietly, almost like a whisper. He wondered what the kit would do in starclan.

Rowankit's brow furrowed as he processed what the apprentice had said and turned his head to stare. "Well, yeah, I guess." His bushy tailtip flicked in a moment of annoyance at being misunderstood, which faded as soon it began. He turned back to the stars, speaking again in the soft tone, "I meant, like, physically. In the sky. His whiskers quivered in the soft passing breeze that stirred the trees, rustling the leaves to sound almost like distant, muffled whispers.

"The brightest star was the first Starclan warrior. And when you die you join them. So every Starclan cat is up there even if we can't tell them apart. Hazel eyes peered up at the sky, trying to pick out even the dimmest of stars. Rowankit pointed with one paw at a section of sky not too far from the brightest star that only had a pawful of visible stars. "I think I'd like to be there. Close to the bright one but not too close. Then I can help light up where there aren't as many warriors." He wasn't quite sure why that particular spot but... it just felt right.

Blazepaw nodded finally realizing what the kit meant. guess his mind wasn't really paying attention and only watching the stars. blazepaw thought about it before pointing to the right with his paw. There was an area that only had around five visible stars. Blazepaw would like to go there as he wouldn't be surrounded by others.



(anti-social boi lol)

Rowankit followed the white tom's outstretched paw to the small patch of stars. It was certainly a nice area, not overcrowded. He nodded, "That looks like a nice spot too." Shifting his weight further back on his haunches, Rowankit flicked his bushy brown tail to wrap over his paws. Eyes still glued to the sky. "Do you think they really watch everyone all the time? Or just the important cats like Lightningstar?" It seemed unlikely that someone would actually be watching at all times but given how numerous Starclan cats were it also seemed unlikely for there to be a time that no one was watching.

Blazepaw didnt know the answer to that one, he never questioned starclan. He believed they were a powerful force of their ancestors and watched over their families. He knew kits likes to ask questions about starclan but blazepaw never understood the fascination. He was a believer right away after hearing the elders stories.

Rowankit sighed into the silence. Throughout the night the temperature had been slowly dropping and it was finally penetrating his kitten-fluffy coat though he was still not inclined to return to the warm comfort of the nursery. It was rare he could actually manage to sneak out of the nursery at night without being noticed by anyone. So the blessed peace and quiet was much appreciated. The quiet, white apprentice was a good, mostly silent companion. Far more pleasant company than the usual crowd of rambunctious kits and fussy queens.

Blazepaw looked over and saw the kit was slightly cold. He wondered if he would be able to help or was to scared to even let the kit see those small walls broken. Blazepaw risked it and gently grabbed the kit by his paw, pushing him towards blazepaw's chest. The rest of Blazepaw's fur was short but his chest had the most fur so was the warmest. Blazepaw wasnt used to contact but as this was a kit he fought through the urge to run off. He knew the kit wouldnt want to go back to the nursery so Blazepaw stayed with him.

Blinking in surprise as he was tugged back against the apprentice's chest, Rowankit quickly settled into his warm fur. Giving a short, rumbled purr of thanks. The sky was amazingly clear, only the smallest wisps of cloud drifted by. Even they weren't enough to do much more than briefly obscure the stars.

Against his will, the warmth of the other cat began to cast a drowsiness over Rowankit. His eyelids, slowly drooping as he struggled to stay awake. He didn't want to go back inside or fall asleep but... The comforting warmth tugged at his consciousness. His head slowly nodded, occasionally jerking as he desperately fought the pull of sleep.

(lol blaze has officially made rowan his younger sibling)

Blazepaw noticed the little kit starting to fall asleep. He knew the kit wanted to stay out but blazepaw knew that rowankit was tired. Blazepaw gently picked up the tired tom by the scruff and started to pad into the nursery. Blazepaw gently set him down before giving him a goodnight lick on his forehead. With one last look, blazepaw walked out and headed to the apprentice den for his deserved sleep.